


spellbound

by onhos



Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Cats, Cute, Fluff, Gardens & Gardening, M/M, Magical Realism, Neighbours, No Angst, Pining, Romantic Comedy, Strangers to Lovers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Witches, grumpy hwanwoong basically, he is v cute and good and smol, keonhee is cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:15:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26426977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onhos/pseuds/onhos
Summary: Hwanwoong is followed by a stubborn cat that belongs to his a̶n̶n̶o̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ neighbour.
Relationships: Lee Keonhee/Yeo Hwanwoong
Comments: 16
Kudos: 75





	spellbound

The early morning sun is warm.

Hwanwoong breathes in the fresh air. There's a slight breeze that ruffles his faded pink hair, and he savours it. His eyes flutter shut for just a moment, before he smooths down his old gardening clothes and steps out of the apartment building. Now, he thinks happily, I'm ready for the day.

Dungarees hang loosely on his frame, and thick leather gardening gloves hang out of his pocket. It's not the most flattering look, but Hwanwoong doesn't mind. The long, warm hours volunteering under the sun in his local neighbourhood park are worth it. The feeling of dirt under his fingers and grass stains on his knees is a welcome change from the demanding and often stressful duties of a choreographer, his day job.

So, his boots tied tightly, Hwanwoong walks out into the street, ready for the half hour walk to the park. He stretches his arms, and his mouth still tastes of coffee.

On the wall beside his apartment building, a black cat is lounging. It licks its paws, then cleans its dark ears. 

"Hello there." Hwanwoong coos. 

Though he prefers dogs, Hwanwoong has a soft spot for cats. He steps closer slowly, and the cat looks up. Its eyes shine sharply through the early morning.

"Well aren't you gorgeous?" He says. 

When he reaches the wall, Hwanwoong reaches forward and gently strokes the cat's forehead. He smiles slightly when it nuzzles into his palm. Hwanwoong scratches its ears, feeling a low purr vibrate through the cat's body.

"Nice to meet you too." He strokes under its chin. "Are you lost?"

If it's here this afternoon, Hwanwoong thinks, I'll leave it a can of tuna. He glances at his watch.

"I have to go soon," He says. When he removes his hand, the cat rubs against his dungarees, and Hwanwoong giggles. "Oh, you really like me, huh?"

Hwanwoong lets the cat rub against him for a moment, before stepping away from the wall. He looks sternly at the cat.

"Don't look at me like that." He grumbles, "I'm _busy._ "

With a reluctant sigh, Hwanwoong turns on his heel and returns to walking down the street. The morning is quiet. He hears the sound of cars and the wind through the trees as he walks, but he thinks, too, that he can hear soft padded paws walking behind him.

Hwanwoong looks over his shoulder. The cat is walking on the wall just behind him, and it stops walking when he does.

"Now really." Hwanwoong says, "Don't you have better things to do?"

The cat just blinks at him. Hwanwoong resumes walking, but still he hears those paws on the wall as the cat follows him to the park. What a nuisance, he thinks, but he's smiling. 

"Kitty!" 

Hwanwoong turns when he hears the shout. A man is running towards him down the street, his hair blowing around his face. He's dressed in light blue pyjamas, and he stumbles on his slippers as he runs. When he stops in front of Hwanwoong and the cat, panting, Hwanwoong can't help but raise his eyebrows.

"There you are!" The man says, scooping the cat into his arms. He turns to Hwanwoong and smiles. "Was she bothering you?"

"No, not really." Hwanwoong says. 

The man's soft brown hair shines under the sun. His bleary eyes and swollen cheeks make Hwanwoong think he must've only just woken up. When he notices Hwanwoong's amused expression, he looks down at himself and flushes.

"I can explain." The man says. Hwanwoong waits for an explanation, but it never comes. "Okay, actually, I can't."

"Is this your cat?" Hwanwoong asks. "What's her name?"

"Kitty."

"Yes, I know she's a _cat._ " Hwanwoong says, "But what's her _name?_ "

"That is her name. Her name's Kitty." The man says sheepishly.

Hwanwoong just shakes his head, exasperated by the stranger and his stubborn cat.

"Sorry for the trouble." The man continues, "She didn't do anything, uh, weird, did she?"

Hwanwoong blinks at him. What a strange morning, he thinks, tapping his foot on the pavement impatiently. Still, the man still smiles good naturedly, his eyes crinkled around the edges. Kitty is nipping at the man's hands, but he ignores her.

"What do you mean, weird?" Hwanwoong asks.

"Nevermind." The man says. Hwanwoong glances at his watch again.

"If you don't mind," Hwanwoong says, "I have things to do."

"Oh, yes, sorry!"

Hwanwoong turns around, but the man calls out to him.

"What?" Hwanwoong sighs.

"Um, sorry, but you live at Rosemary, right? The apartment building?"

"Yes, why?"

"I just moved in opposite you!" The man says, "I live in room 203, do you know it? I meant to introduce myself to you, but you wake up so early that I always missed you in the mornings."

Hwanwoong's eyebrows narrow.

"So _you're_ the one who was making all of that noise last night." He grumbles. "You should be more considerate of your neighbours, you know. _Some_ of us want to sleep." 

"Sorry!" The man flushes darker. He adjusts Kitty in his arms so that he can hold out his hand, "I'm Lee Keonhee. It's nice to meet you."

Keonhee's hands are warm, and his grip is gentle. When Hwanwoong looks up into his kind, embarrassed face, he thinks he may have been a little hard on his new neighbour. His face softens.

"Yeo Hwanwoong," He says, returning Keonhee's smile. "It's nice to meet you too. But I really do have to go."

"Oh, sorry, sorry." The man lets go of his hand. "See you around!"

Hwanwoong nods and turns around again. This time, he leaves for good. The sun beams down on him as he walks, still as warm as ever. 

Even he leaves, he can hear Keonhee talking to the cat, and for some reason, he can't help but smile.

❀

  
  


Hwanwoong rubs his forehead with the back of his gloved hand.

He swelters under the hot sun. His dungarees stick to him uncomfortably, and his face glistens with sweat. Work through it, he thinks, rubbing soil over the flower he just planted. Despite the heat, it's a pleasant enough day, and the fresh smells and sights make up for his discomfort.

The sky is clear, with not even a wisp of a cloud in sight. Hwanwoong looks out into the sky and lets out a long, tired breath. His shoulders and knees ache, but with the dull pain comes the unravelling of tension in his shoulders. Like exercise or dancing, the labour of gardening is a stress reliever that Hwanwoong welcomes.

Through a thicket of trees, movement catches Hwanwoong's eye. He blinks, unable to believe his eyes.

"What on earth...?" Hwanwoong asks.

A man is crawling through the grass. He peers closely at each plant and flower. A cat is prowling through the park behind him.

"Oh, _him_." Hwanwoong sighs, picking up his sheers and heading to the rose bush. "Why am I not surprised?

Still, an amused smile twitches on his face as the cat pounces at what Hwanwoong presumes is a bug in the grass. If he's not mistaken, Keonhee is holding a _magnifying glass,_ and he turns with a flourish when he hears the sound behind him _._ What an odd duo, Hwanwoong thinks, they're ridiculous _._

As if sensing his thoughts, Kitty's head turns towards him. Her sharp, glowing eyes meet his own, and Hwanwoong turns back to the rose bush.

But just as he predicted, it's too late.

Soon enough, Hwanwoong feels her brush against his legs. Hwanwoong rubs a hand over his face, momentarily forgetting the mud on his gloves. He can feel her purr against him.

"Hi!" A warm voice calls.

He turns, and Keonhee is walking through the garden where Hwanwoong is working. His smile is bright, his soft brown hair falling sweetly around his face. He looks at each flower and plant as he passes. When he's closer, Hwanwoong notices the herbs and flower petals sitting at the bottom of his straw basket.

What does he think he is, Hwanwoong thinks, exasperated, a farmer?

"If you can't tell," Hwanwoong points out, "I'm working."

"Sorry." Keonhee laughs. "Kitty, come here!"

She ignores him, jumping onto the tree beside Hwanwoong and curling up on a branch. Keonhee shrugs and leans down to look at a flower.

"So you work here?" Keonhee asks.

"What do you think?" Hwanwoong sighs at the innocent, expectant look on Keonhee's face. "Yes, I volunteer here."

"And do you like gardening?"

Hwanwoong rolls his eyes. 

"Sorry," Keonhee says again, but unlike the first time they met, he doesn't sound sorry at all. When Hwanwoong meets his eyes, there's a mischievous glint in his gaze. His mouth twitches in his attempt to suppress his amused smile. "It's hot today, huh?"

"No shit," Hwanwoong grumbles under his breath.

Hwanwoong pointedly ignores them, even Kitty, who's watching him from the branch. He leans over the bush and clips it carefully with his sheers. There's a silence before the sunshine is darkened by a shadow hovering over him.

Hwanwoong lets out an irritated breath through his nose and whirls around.

"Could you just-" He begins to snap.

But his words trail away when he sees Keonhee is smiling down at him. His smile is sweet, and his eyes sparkle with magic. He holds out a cup to Hwanwoong. With his other hand, he brushes a little of the brown hair out of his eyes. Maybe it's just the light of the sun, Hwanwoong thinks, but he's ethereal.

"Here." Keonhee says.

Hwanwoong takes the cup with narrowed eyes.

"It's iced coffee." Keonhee continues. "It looked like you needed it."

"Where did you get this? You didn't have it before." Hwanwoong inhales the musky scent of coffee and a shiver passes down his spine. He takes a quick sip, and it's _perfect._ The best iced coffee he's ever tasted, in fact.

Keonhee shrugs.

"Thank you." Hwanwoong says, softly, his earlier frustration simmering away. He smiles a little.

The sun passes behind a cloud. The garden darkens for a moment, and Hwanwoong thinks he sees something flash in Keonhee's eyes. For those few seconds, his gaze is almost cat-like, his eyes glowing like Kitty's. Then he blinks, and the sun brightens again, and Hwanwoong shakes off the strange feeling.

Keonhee reaches out. His soft hand brushes Hwanwoong's face, and he rubs his cheek with his thumb. He touches so sweetly, Hwanwoong thinks, like he's casting a spell with his fingers.

Hwanwoong yelps and jumps backwards, almost falling into the rose bush.

"What are you doing?" He asks loudly, his face turning pink.

"You had dirt on your face." Keonhee says. His smile turnes amused.

In the awkward silence that follows, Kitty meows and jumps down from the tree, landing elegantly on her paws. She slinks over to Keonhee's side, looking up at Hwanwoong with those sharp eyes. Hwanwoong scowls at her and turns his head away.

"Come on then, Kitty, we have work to do." Keonhee says to the cat. He looks down at Hwanwoong again. "See you around!"

"Yeah," Hwanwoong mutters, turning to the rose bush. He stares down at the roses for a long time after Keonhee has left, his face still pink, grumbling about his strange, but surprisingly sweet, neighbour under his breath.

❀

"This is not happening." Hwanwoong says.

He stretches his fingers, trying desperately to reach the spatula that's fallen behind his washing machine. His face turns red, and his shoulder strains with the effort of reaching down behind the machine, but the spatula lies just behind his grasp. What a tease, he thinks, as his fingers brush the metal that he can't quite grip.

It's been a long day, and all Hwanwoong wants is to eat dinner and crawl into bed with as little effort as possible. But here he is, leaning over the washing machine, trying desperately to reach the spatula that has fallen behind it.

"Damned thing." Hwanwoong grumbles, standing up and rubbing his arm. His pink hair is messy from the effort, and he feels hot with irritation. Kitty, sitting innocently on the counter, just stares at him. "Look what you've done."

She blinks at him.

"Oh, forget it."

There's only one option if he wants to rest as soon as possible, but Hwanwoong doesn't like it. Not at all. Scowling, he leaves the kitchen, steps out of the apartment, and slams the front door behind him. Kitty follows him.

For a moment, he simply stares at the door in front of him. _203_. He plays with the hem of his sweater, considering his options, while Kitty cleans herself.

"This is not happening," He says again, and then reaches up hand and knocks on the door.

There's a long silence before the door opens. Keonhee stands in the doorway. He wears a _kiss the cook_ apron, and his hands are covered in a strange purple substance.

"Hwanwoong!" He says loudly. He attempts to flatten his hair, but now as well as being messy it's covered in purple streaks. Hwanwoong decides to ignore this, the way he ignores every other strange thing that his neighbour does.

"Do you have a spatula?" Hwanwoong asks.

"What-"

"Do you," Hwanwoong says lowly, "Have a spatula?"

"Uh-"

"Listen, Keonhee." Hwanwoong seethes. "Somehow, your cat _opened my front door,_ jumped onto my counter, and knocked my spatula behind my washing machine. So will you _please_ just get me a spatula?"

"Kitty is with you?" Keonhee asks. Then he notices her standing next to Hwanwoong.

"So _that's_ where you were. Thanks for always looking out for her." Keonhee laughs. He scoops Kitty into his arms and she nuzzles against his neck. "Sorry about that. Wait just a second."

The door shuts in front of him. Hwanwoong rubs a hand over his face. He jumps when he hears a loud bang from inside, like a minor explosion, and he's about to open Keonhee's door when he comes out again.

This time, his face is covered in what looks like black soot, and some parts of his apron look _burned._ He holds out the spatula with a smile, and Hwanwoong takes it from him.

"I'm not even going to ask." Hwanwoong sighs. He's about to turn around when Keonhee catches him by his wrist. Gently, just enough to stop him, and when he realises Hwanwoong is no longer going to leave, he lets go.

"Hey," Keonhee asks softly. "Are you okay?"

There's a sincerity to his smile that makes Hwanwoong soften, as he always does, as he can't help but do when confronted with the kindness of his odd neighbour. 

"I'm just tired." Hwanwoong says.

"I'm really sorry about Kitty. Do you want to talk about it?" Keonhee asks, "I mean, I don't know how much I can help, but I'm here for you, okay?"

"I-" Hwanwoong pauses, "Thank you. It's okay." 

Hwanwoong doesn't know if he could call their surreal meetings friendship, but still, a wave of warmth passes over him when he's sees Keonhee's concern. He pulls his sweater sleeves over his hands and gives Keonhee a crooked smile.

"I'm not really annoyed about Kitty." He says gently.

"You're not?"

Hwanwoong shakes his head.

"She's kind of cute."

Keonhee smiles mischeviously.

"What about me?" He asks. "Am _I_ cute?"

Hwanwoong splutters.

"Don't push your luck!" He says, pushing Keonhee through the doorway and back into his apartment. He closes the door behind him, scowling at the amused look on Keonhee's fae. "Goodnight!"

But when he goes back into his apartment, Hwanwoong feels far lighter than he did before.

❀

By now, Hwanwoong can sense that stubborn cat before he even sees her.

He sighs, staring pointedly at the small bookshelf in front of him. The numerous titles like _Gardening 101_ and _Your Essential Guide to Herbs_ sit in front of him, nestled together. The smell of old pages and coffee are comforting, and Hwanwoong savours the quiet, the only sounds the turning of pages or the scratching of pens against paper.

The sun is setting outside. As the colours of the sky change, Hwanwoong tries to shake off the exhaustion of his day at the dance studio, where he'd worked himself to the bone since the early hours of the morning.

But its a little difficult to relax when _she_ is sitting on top of the bookshelf staring at him.

"Cats don't belong in libraries, you know." He says, "You shouldn't be here."

Kitty meows as if she's listening. She scratches the wood on top of the bookshelf.

"You're a nuisance, do you know that?" Hwanwoong smiles. Despite his stern words, he reaches up and strokes the length of her back. "Where's Keonhee, hmm?"

He turns back to the bookshelf and takes a book. Hwanwoong rests it in his arm before looking up at Kitty again. She stands, walking cautiously along the edge of the bookshelf. Hwawnong sighs, running a hand through his pink hair.

But still he follows the black cat through the shelves, until they reach a corner of the library by the windows. Kitty jumps down from the shelf and lands on his shoulder. Hwanwoong knows her well enough now to know she won't be moving anytime soon. Sure enough, her claws dig into his skin through his coat.

"You-" He hisses, but his voice trails away.

By the window, Keonhee is sitting with his head bent. His soft hair falls over his face, and his gaze is completely focused on the book in front of him. Every now and again he scribbles something in a notebook. The setting sun casts his face in a glow, and looking at him, Hwanwoong's heart flutters dangerously.

"Stop that." He murmurs to his traitorous heart. 

There's an iced tea on the table in front of Keonhee which he sips from every now and again. He wears a turtleneck sweater and his elegant hands turn the pages, running along the length of the page. What spell have I been cast under, Hwanwoong thinks, his breath catching in his throat.

Flustered, he gathers Kitty in his arms. He strides forward and plonks her into Keonhee's lap.

"She shouldn't be in here." Hwanwoong says.

Keonhee looks up at him, his eyes sparkling, and Hwanwoong swallows. Damn him, he thinks. He looks away quickly, but not before he sees the pleased smile that grows on Keonhee's face, or the gentle way he strokes Kitty's head with his pretty fingers.

"Well, really, I don't like that rule." Keonhee says, a teasing note in his voice, "She can read you know?"

"Huh?"

"I said," Keonhee says, and Hwanwoong can _hear_ the smile in his voice, warm and playful. "She can read. She loves crime novels, actually. Just don't ask her about locked room murders, because then she'll _never_ shut up."

Unable to help it, Hwanwoong giggles. When he looks at Keonhee, Keonhee's ears are turning pink.

There's a loud _clatter_ as a bookshelf falls over behind Hwanwoong for seemingly no reason at all. The books scatter on the floor behind him.

"Uh," Keonhee says. He picks up his book and stares resolutely at it, but the sudden gesture makes his elbow jut out and his iced tea falls over too. Kitty hisses and jumps from Keonhee's lap onto the carpet. The once white pages of his notebook are now stained brown.

Hwanwoong blinks.

"What the hell just happened?"

"N-Nothing." Keonhee says, ignoring the iced tea which is now dripping from the table onto his sweater and jeans. 

"Now really," Hwanwoong says, "You're useless."

By the time Hwanwoong has cleaned up the bookshelf and table, Keonhee's face is bright red, and he's still staring at the book as if his life depends on it. Hwanwoong manages to read the word _enchantments_ on the front cover, but the book is so old that he might have misread it.

"You should be more careful."

"Sorry?" Keonhee says sweetly. 

"You're really not sorry." He says, and Keonhee smiles despite his embarrassment.

"I'll be right back." Hwanwoong says.

The air outside the library is a little cold, as the sun has finally left the sky. Hwanwoong pulls his coat more tightly around him and hurries into the cafe beside the library, where the lights are dim and music is playing softly.

When he's finished, an iced tea clutched in his grip, he hurries back to Keonhee's seat.

"Here." He says, thrusting the cup towards him, "Don't spill this one."

Keonhee's eyes widen in surprise. When he takes the tea from Hwanwoong, their fingers brush, and Hwanwoong's heart jumps. There's a long moment where he just stares down at Keonhee, who's sitting so innocently in the chair, his whole face lighting up at Hwanwoong's kind gesture.

"You got this for me?" Keonhee asks softly.

Hwanwoong looks away. Keonhee takes a sip of the iced tea, and sighs gratefully.

"Thanks." He says warmly. He means it, Hwanwoong thinks, he's so genuine and kind and he always means what he says.

Hwanwoong ruffles his hair.

"Work hard, okay?" He says. 

When Keonhee smiles like that, it's magical.

"You _are_ cute." Hwanwoong mutters under his breath. The feeling of Keonhee's soft hair lingers on his hands. He remembers Keonhee standing in the doorway in a _kiss the cook_ apron, and the teasing way he'd asked _am I cute?_

"What did you say?" Keonhee asks, already scribbling in the unstained pages of his notebook.

"Nothing." Hwanwoong says, while Kitty rubs against his legs.

❀

The walk back from work is always lonely.

The moonlight shines down on Hwanwoong. It leads his way through the dark, along with the dim streetlamps that glow on the wet pavement. He can still smell the afternoon rain in the air, fresh and green, and he shivers.

"I should've worn my scarf." He mutters to himself, burrowing further inside of his hoodie. 

His legs are aching, and his muscles feel stiff, but Hwanwoong prefers the walk home rather than huddling in a taxi with the rest of the people at the dance studio. He enjoys the peace and quiet, and the time alone to recharge under the moonlight. He looks up at the starry sky, and lets out a quiet sigh.

The peace is broken when he suddenly hears those paws on the wall behind him again.

But this time, when Hwanwoong turns around, Kitty isn't alone. He can hardly see her black form under the night sky, but her familiar eyes glow in the dark. Beside her, Keonhee is walking, and he smiles when he sees Hwanwoong looking at him. 

"Not you too." Hwanwoong says, but there's no bitterness in it, and Keonhee is already smiling.

"We came to walk you back to the apartment." Keonhee says, falling into step beside him. "It's lonely out here alone."

Hwanwoong glances at him. He's wearing a coat and scarf, and his gloved hands hang by his side. His face shines under the moonlight, and when he meets Hwanwoong's gaze, his eyes have stars in them.

"Where did you come from?" Hwanwoong asks. Keonhee raises an eyebrow. 

"That's a secret." He says mysteriously, "Were you at work?"

Hwanwoong nods.

"Where do you work?"

"I work at a dance studio as a choreographer."

"That's so fun." Keonhee grins. "I can dance too, wanna see?"

Keonhee twirls in front of him.

"Aren't I good?" He asks happily.

Hwanwoong can't help but smile. His eyes crinkle at the edges, and his heart is fluttering, betraying him once again. Keonhee is beaming when he returns to Hwanwoong's side. The night feels warm now, and there's something magical about the night sky. 

When Hwanwoong looks up at the stars a shooting star passes by.

"Make a wish." Keonhee murmurs.

There's nothing else Hwanwoong could want, with his strange friend walking with him, and that stubborn cat prowling the wall beside them. Hwanwoong thinks that the only thing that could possibly make the moment better was a strong cup of coffee, so that's what he wishes for. 

"What did you wish for?"

"Isn't it bad luck to say?"

"That's just a myth." Keonhee waves a gloved hand dismissively. 

"No, I won't tell you." 

"Please?"

"No." Hwanwoong says stubbornly.

"Hmph." Keonhee pouts.

Hwanwoong reaches up and pokes his cheek.

"Yah!" Keonhee turns pink. "Why did you-"

"Sorry," Hwanwoong laughs, "I couldn't help it."

By the time Hwanwoong says goodnight and shuts his apartment door behind him, he's smiling so hard that it hurts. His cheeks ache as he hangs his bag on the back of the door and takes off his hoodie. He's grateful that he lives alone, so no one can see him this happy.

There's the distinct smell of coffee in the air. It's musky and homely, like it's just been made, and Hwanwoong follows the smell curiously. When he steps into the kitchen, he sees it. 

A mug of coffee, still steaming, sitting on his counter.

"How on earth?" Hwanwoong breathes.

The coffee is the best he's ever tasted.

❀

  
  


The bedroom buzzes with the sound of old movies.

Hwanwoong snuggles into his blanket. The covers are pulled up to his face, and he lets out a long, content sigh. As the television plays, he grows more and more relaxed, and settles into his bed. The low sun shines through the curtains, but not enough to be distracting.

The sun hasn't quite set yet, but he figures he deserves a break. The knots in his back untighten a little. Maybe later, he thinks, I'll wear a face mask, or have a hot bath. He shivers just imagining it.

"Peace." He murmurs.

Then comes the unmistakable feeling of a cat kneading on his blankets.

"Not now." He says, peeking over his covers to see Kitty scratching at his legs, "Please, not now."

She simply looks at up at him with those glowing eyes.

"I thought we had an agreement." Hwanwoong whines, and pulls his blankets over his head. "We've already discussed this, you damned cat."

She meows.

With a huff, Hwanwoong sits up. He reaches across the bed to stroke her, but she pulls away from his touch and meows again. 

"What do you want?" Hwanwoong grumbles. 

He's reluctant to move, but he'll never get any peace if Kitty is there. Hwanwoong lifts her in his arms and the blanket falls from around his body. He's only wearing an oversized tshirt, but he's too weary to worry about it, and so he walks out of the apartment without changing.

The door to 203 is ajar. 

"Keonhee." He calls sleepily, "Would you get your cat?"

When he gets no reply, Hwanwoong shuffles over to the doorway. He hesitates for just a moment before slipping inside Keonhee's apartment. 

Inside, it smells like smoke and incense. He lets Kitty go. There's no need for him to stay, but now that he's here Hwanwoong is curious. The apartment is dark, but even without lights Hwanwoong finds his way through the hallway.

He freezes when he walks into Keonhee's living room.

Keonhee is standing in his _kiss the cook_ apron by what looks like a cauldron. It sparks, trembling, and Keonhee's eyes are focused as he stares down at it. He drops a flower into the cauldron, and the whole room shakes as if hit by an earthquake.

Well that explains the noises, Hwanwoong thinks weakly.

As if sensing his thoughts, Keonhee looks up.

In the dark room, his face lit by the cauldron, he _does_ look magical. His eyes glint, cat-like. They flash gold, and a nervous thrill passes down Hwanwoong's spine. 

"This isn't what it looks like." Keonhee says. "...Okay, actually, it is."

The moment is so familiar, so much like Keonhee, that Hwanwoong giggles. Keonhee smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck. Despite everything, even the cauldron sitting in the middle of the room, Hwanwoong _still_ wants to kiss him.

"What the fuck?"

"Well," Keonhee says, "You know. I'm a witch."

All Hwanwoong can do is raise an eyebrow.

"I can prove it." Keonhee says quickly. Hwanwoong looks down at his hand where a bouqet of flowers has suddenly appeared. They smell heavenly, like the garden in the park, like all of the beautiful things that make him feel at home.

"This isn't how I wanted to _tell_ you." Keonhee whines. "God, this is so embarrassing."

Hwanwoong stares down at the bouquet of flowers. He's still in shock, although some of it is beginning to wear off.

Keonhee steps towards him, and as he does, Kitty jumps into Hwanwoong's arms. He drops the flowers to catch her. She snuggles against him, purring. Her warm presence soothes him, grounding him to the current moment. 

Keonhee reaches out and strokes her head.

"This little devil likes you too much," He grumbles, "I'm so obvious because of her."

"What do you mean?" Hwanwoong asks weakly.

When he looks up, Keonhee is looking down at him, still with those lovely sparkling eyes. 

"I wasn't going to tell you like this," He says, with that soft voice, "But I really like you."

Keonhee smiles shyly.

"Kitty's my familiar, you see." He pats her head good naturedly, "I think my feelings for you rubbed off on her."

Hwanwoong just holds the cat, embarrassed. He doesn't know whether the revelation that Keonhee is a witch or has a crush on him is more startling, but all he can do now is blink at him. He wonders what alternate universe he's found himself in.

"Kitty has been so meddlesome." Keonhee continues. "I think she just got tired of me being shy."

He's so cute, Hwanwoong thinks, as Keonhee boops Kitty's nose.

"I'm really sorry about all of... this." Keonhee gestures to the room with his hand. "We can still be friends, right?"

The silence is warm with tension. Hwanwoong is still confused, still awed, still cautious of the bubbling cauldron behind Keonhee. But his heart only feels warm. 

Even now, he's so glad to know someone like Lee Keonhee.

"Ever since I met you," Hwanwoong says, "You've been nothing but trouble."

And then he stands on his tiptoes, and presses a kiss to Keonhee's cheek. 

"You're such an idiot." He says fondly.

Keonhee turns bright red. He stares at Hwanwoong for a moment.

Then he leans down and kisses him. His hands are on Hwanwoong's cheeks, and his soft hair tickles Hwanwoong's face, and the whole world disappears. Stupid, Hwanwoong thinks, melting, stupid, stupid.

"Sorry." Keonhee smiles crookedly when he pulls away. "I couldn't help it."

Kitty meows.

"Did you cast a spell on me?" Hwanwoong asks.


End file.
